Hi, I’m Nikki from The Fashion Accessories Blog and I’m here to talk to you about the pros and cons of advertising on your blog. The upside is easy – you get to make money doing something you love. The downside is not so pretty – you can lose portions of your readership, you can destroy your design, you can lose your credibility, and more.
So how do you integrate some money-making ideas without losing the focus of your blog? It’s actually pretty easy. Advertise products and services that apply to your blog topic.
Blogging about dogs? Include your favorite collar accessories and link to them with pictures via Commission Junction.
Blogging about the real estate process? Include a Google AdSense banner in your sidebar that will pull up real estate related links.
Your readers won’t be as rebellious if you are including advertising that is applicable and useful to them. Some may speak out against your desire to make a few dollars, but if they’re not willing to help fund your hosting costs with a Paypal contribution, try not to let their comments get to you.
On the other hand, if you’re including distracting ads from a multitude of random companies – and your followers can’t find your blog categories because they’re buried far beneath the fold, don’t be surprised if you find your pageviews beginning to decline.
Happy blogging and happy holidays!
